


Unforgettable Dreams

by AddlynCarstairs



Category: Alice In Wonderland - Lewis Carroll
Genre: Action/Adventure, Alice in Wonderland, F/M, Love, Multi, Romance, Tragic Romance, Wonderland
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-10-29
Updated: 2016-10-29
Packaged: 2018-08-27 19:08:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 8,213
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8413216
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AddlynCarstairs/pseuds/AddlynCarstairs





	1. The Dream

"Lysander!" I called out walking past a withered old door frame.

"Lysander!" I called out again wondering where my dream boy was. Wandering around I passed massive oak trees that formed a quiet calm forest no sounds emerged from the deep crevices of the trees or the branches that hung low above me, each tree had a marking on its bark. A spade, a knight, a joker, a king or queen, hearts, and so on. A full deck. All of these engraved in the deep rich bark of the trees surrounding me. I heard laughter behind me. 

"Dear little luv." a deep seductive voice sung behind me.

"Lysander..." I murmured turning to catch a flash of black and silver. 

"Find me..." I heard his voice sing to my right. 

Quickly I turned to see that same flash of black and silver. "Hide and seek, huh?" Very well I thought. At a quick but silent pace I followed his voice that sung my name.

"Alice... Alice... Come to me... Find me..." the voice sang. 

As if on cue, the panic commenced. I could feel eyes watching me and his voice fading rapidly into the dark part of the forest, the one where the night was endless and creatures of every kind hunted mercilessly. "Lysander!" I called out desperately this time, I could hear their footsteps coming for me. I didn't know who they were or what they wanted but I knew I had to run... Run or die. 

"Find me Alice, hurry!" Lysander called his once cool seductive tone now seemed panicked with a tinge of fright as though he knew what was going to happen. 

Tripping over my own legs I knew the only way of escaping was to dive deep into the dark abyss of the dark side. 

"Alice no!" he called out closer than before. Turning around I caught a glimpse of his beautiful face, one eye the color of emeralds and the other as rich as the sky on a hot summer day. 

In that moment I saw who was coming after me. My eyes widened in horror as I pushed myself to run faster, the blue dress I wore slowing me down. The Red Queen, the Cheshire cat, the Tweedles, and among others carrying various weapons were coming after me their once friendly faces were twisted with revenge and blood lust. 

They want my blood... They want my head. The edge of the abyss was only a few steps away when I felt someone grab the hem of my dress. Turning I saw the White Rabbit holding on to me, his white fur covered in blood instead of carrying his ever famous watch he carried a small axe with a golden chain connected to his red vest, waving the axe frantically at me feet.

"We want your head Alice!" the Rabbit grinned to reveal white sharp teeth.

I shrieked in fear shaking him off just as I threw myself into the dark pit the night engulfed me. 

"ALICE NO!" his voice faded into nothing.


	2. A Dream or Reality?

Alice awoke with a start, sweat soaking her blue night gown. "I'm in my room... I'm safe... Rabbits cant talk...Lysander doesn't exist..." she muttered the already memorized mantra.

"Alice!" a knock on her bedroom door startled the eighteen year old senior.

"Why hasn't breakfast been started!?" her mother yelled from behind the door.

"S..so sorry mother!" Alice replied bursting out of her bed and out the door, just past the old woman.

"You idiot, get dressed first!" she yelled at her.

"Y..yes mother!" Alice walked back into her room.

"And hurry it up, trash." she sneered, her ugly face wrinkling up making her seem like a pig, leaving Alice alone.

Brushing her teeth and choosing a long sleeved black shirt with a red tea cup on it,a red jacket, black jeans, and combat boots she grabbed her school bag and went downstairs, placing moth pins in her hair as she went.

"I want eggs!" Alice turned to see her sister, Lizzie, wearing full on white with a white headband keeping her yellow ,almost white hair, in place.

"Is that all?" Alice replied placing her bag down near the kitchen table.

"I want the same!" Rose, the third Liddell sister, came bouncing into the kitchen fully decked in red, matching her hair.

"Fine." Alice replied knowing well enough that arguing and denying to cook them food will only land her in deep trouble with her mother (not that her mother even cared about her). That could only mean that Alice would be grounded from going to school and that was the only escape she had from the dreaded hell hole of a home. Doing as she was told, Alice began making the eggs and within minutes she had served her sisters and served a plate for her mother.

"You can leave now." Alice's mother came in and sat her plump behind on the stool between her daughters.

Alice nodded glancing at the clock, it was an hour before school started, "I have to stay after school today, mother." she said softly avoiding her gaze.

"What for?" her mother replied sticking a forkful of eggs into her mouth.

"I need to help out in the library." she lied, it was only an excuse to not come home and have to deal with them.

"You have chores, girl. You can't stay." she spoke, bits of egg came out as she did.

"I'll do it as soon as come back! I'll even stay up late if I have too!" Alice spoke a bit too quickly making her sisters squint at her.

Her mother seemed to think about it for a few minutes, this making Alice nervous. "Fine. " she finally spoke."You'll also have to do your sisters laundry and your television privileges are given to your sisters instead." her mother spoke smiling as though taking everything away from Alice would make her miserable.

"More t.v for us!" Rose and Lizzie high-fived each other.

"Now leave, girl! I want you out of my sight." her mother hissed making Alice quickly grab her school bag and sprint out of the house. Laughter could be heard from inside once Alice had made it past the door way.

"So much for over coming my fears." she sighed grabbing the straps of her bag. "Didn't even get the chance to brush my hair..." Alice walked away from the shack she called home, happier with every step she took away from it.

"Good morning Alice!" Mary Ann, the nice old maid who loved Alice as her own daughter, waved happily as she watered her roses.

"Good morning Mary Ann!" Alice waved back

"Off to the garden again, eh?" Mary Ann smiled. The garden was the place where Alice spent most of her free time, different kinds of flowers surrounded a massive stone which (if sitting just behind it) would hide anyone behind it from sight.

"Yes! May you have a great day Mary Ann, and don't go working too much on me!" Alice smiled and waved goodbye to her mother figure and started towards the garden which was just behind her school. "Alice... Alice..." a familiar voice softly called out to her. "What the..." she turned around on the sidewalk, no one was in sight except for a cat with stripes on its back. It was watching her every move. Stepping closer Alice couldn't help but feel that she had met this cat before. 

"Hello, little kitty, have met before?" she asked the cat who just watched her. "MEOW" it replied before it jumped up into a tree and disappeared out of site. "Huh... funny." Alice shook her head, her dark brown strands of hair struck her face lightly. "That dream always puts me on edge, I can't really remember much after I wake up." she thought to herself, pulling out a small tart from her bag, 

"Hopefully she doesn't notice one is gone." Alice said taking a bite of the tart her mother made "So good." she smiled taking in the different tastes the tart was giving as she walked past the downtown area and into the school zone, not noticing the young man that was coming towards her.

"Hey! Hey girl!" a voice called out from behind Alice making her turn to catch a glimpse of a dark haired boy with sunglasses walking towards her.

"Me?" Alice thought looking around making sure it was her he was calling out to. "Yes?" she stopped walking.

"Sorry to bother you, my name is Morpheus L. Hatta." he bowed making Alice take a step back.

"Alice." she spoke. The stranger danger course she was taught in school ringing in her mind.

"I don't mean to disturb you but I'm new here and I know nothing of this school." he said a kind smile dominated his pale face but Alice wasn't sure if it was reaching his eyes, making her uncomfortable.

"Are you new?" she asked keeping her tart away from his view and keeping a safe amount of distance away from him.

"Yes, a senior. I was walking hoping I would find someone who could help me today and it seems like I found you." he laughed.

Alice could sense there was something more to what he had said but she couldn't really point out what it was, making her even more uncomfortable. "Well do you have your class list?" Alice asked wanting to shake the odd sensation that she knew him off of her chest.

Pulling out a schedule from his pocket he handed it to Alice.

Taking it she unwrinkled the paper. "Oh... you have a few classes with me, most seniors do." she bit her lip. "Literature, history,and art with me. You also have gym and math but those classes are easy to get to since I don't have classes during those two periods I can show you." she mumbled out loud lifting the other half of the tart to her mouth without even a thought.

"You like tarts?" he asked making Alice jump, the paper falling from her fingers.

"No need to be startled Alice." he laughed catching the paper before it fell.

"Sorry..." she managed to say while chewing the rest of the tart.

"I know someone who makes the most delicious tarts... she makes them in the shape of hearts." he grinned following Alice who had begun crossing the street.

"Hearts? Why would she do that?" Alice asked walking past the school gates.

"It's kind of her thing." Morpheus laughed.

"Her thing?" Alice asked a bit confused.

"You know how some people have a thing? Well hers is all about hearts." he shrugged.

"How odd..." Alice thought to herself. "Where do you come from?" she asked wanting to change the conversation, somehow the mention of hearts made her uneasy.

"Well I come from a place called Wonderland and it's ruled by an evil Queen." his tone had become serious as though he truly meant what he said.

Alice couldn't help but laugh at what she believed to be a joke. "Where do you really come from."

Morpheus smiled "You caught me. Well I was born and raised here until my family moved when I was four and after that I spent most of my life in England."

"Lucky you. I've lived here all my life and my father left my mother which is hard for her since its three of us she has to take care of." Alice shrugged

"Is she kind to you?" he asked.

This startled Alice, in reality everyone thought her mother was good and caring but she knew better. Her mother was nothing like everyone thought and her sisters were always the ones who where called little angels. This left people thinking Alice was nothing but a trouble maker. Mary Ann was the only person who knew the real Alice. Everyone at school disliked her and thought she was a weird freak who stayed to herself and talked to plants and animals. "No." she admitted stopping in front of the art class they had first. "This is art class."

"How does she treat you?" he asked not paying any attention as to what she had said.

"That's none of your business." Alice said a bit annoyed. "You can wait out here until class begins, I'll be back in a few." she said turning her back on him.

"Where are you going, Mothling?" Morpheus asked

Alice froze once he mentioned her name no one but her father had ever called her that "No... it can't be..." turning, Alice narrowed her eyes "What did you call me?"

Morpheus stepped back away from her his hands up as though in surrender "Moth...You have Moth pins in you hair, Alice."

Her eyes widened "Oh.. yeah." she laughed nervously touching the moth pins in her hair. "Sorry, I'm not feeling well. Excuse me, I'm going to use the restroom." she quickly added walking away from him and rounding the corner just as she ran right into someone. This making Alice fall right onto her bum and palms. "Damn..." she muttered looking at her palms which had begun to sting.

"Watch it you freak." Scarlet, the queen bee, sneered at her.

Alice watched as Scarlet's special select group of friends laugh at her. "Sorry." Alice said coldly standing up as they walked past her to Morpheus.

"Well hello." Scarlet's voice became disgustingly sweet her fingers twirling the ends of her golden blonde hair.

Now Scarlet is the rich girl in town who can get anything she ever wanted with just a simple smile or batting of her fake eyelashes. Not to mention any boy she deems is worthy of being at her side, the past two years she's been with Stark Knight to Alice's dismay.

Alice watched Amber interact with Morpheus hoping he wasn't like the other boys who just melted under Amber's gaze. Having little hope that he would actually be any different than the other guys there at school, Alice turned, starting to walk away not wanting to see Morpheus submit to the evil queen bee and her drones.

"Alice, wait!" Morpheus called out.

"What are you doing!?" Alice hissed at Morpheus who had grabbed her arm and pulled her out of view from the group, leaving the queen and her drones in shock.

"I assume she is the queen bee here. You shouldn't allow her to push you in such ways, Alice. You yourself can be the queen." he said.

"You don't need to worry about me, I can protect myself and I rather not be a queen." she shot back, pulling her arm from his grasp, not liking the sensation she was getting from him from just a simple touch.

"It seems you wish to avoid them by saying nothing while they mock you, Alice." he said, irritation seemed to claim the better part of his tone.

"Look, Morpheus, we just met and I get you want to be friendly and stuff but you can't be spending time with some one like me. Go back to Scarlet and her gang or find my sisters, you have a better chance at being popular and liked if you spend time with them and avoid me. As you can see I'm far from ever being popular." she said watching as everyone started coming in through the gates the usual chatter and gossiping filled her ears, wishing she was in her beloved garden.

"My goal isn't to be popular or to even be liked. I rather hate the unwanted attention and I rather be a part of your group." he gave her a sincere smile.

"Well I can't force you to do anything so whatever you do is on you." Alice said trying to catch a glimpse of something behind those sunglasses he wore.

"Don't worry, I won't ever regret this." he smiled making Alice blush just as the first morning bell rang, it's metallic screech pierced the ears of every student out and about notifying them that classes were about to begin.

"That's the bell." Alice said turning away from Morpheus "Come on, you have to introduce yourself to Mr. Baek." she led him back to the art room where the queen bee and her drones had left. "Mr. Baek is going to make you take those off." she said pointing to the sunglasses "So be aware that you can't wear them in most classes." Alice said noticing the difference in height between Morpheus and herself. "He's pretty tall..." she thought feeling the slight blush claim her pale cheeks.

"I am warned." he laughed at her sudden silence.

Walking into the art room the smell of paints, clay, oils, and wood penetrated the air around them. Alice was always fond of the smell, it reminded her of her father who was an artist and would always paint portraits of her when she was younger. When he disappeared so did all of his artwork.

"Goodmorning Alice." Mr. Baek a tall thin man with very little gray hair left on his head and wearing a sweater full of paint splotches came up to them.

"Goodmorning ." Alice smiled "This is Morpheus," she nodded to the side acknowledging him. "He's a new student."

"I see," Mr. Baek looked Morpheus over "Schedule." he said holding out his hand as Morpheus handed it to him. " I see... Ah yes very well!" a smile claimed his lips. "You can sit next to Alice at the back, she can teach you everything she knows and catch you up with everything we have learned so far. I assume you have taken an art class before?" he asked handing back the schedule.

"Yes, I am fond of art." he replied taking the schedule back.

"Well Alice you can help him set up his site and get him acquainted with the classroom." he finished letting Alice lead Morpheus to his seat. "Oh and Morpheus, do take of your sunglasses." he added before turning to greet the other students.

"Told you." Alice giggled placing her bag on a hook at the back of the room. "Place your bag here or it'll get painted on.

"Can we paint anything we like?" he asked mimicking her actions.

"For the moment we are given the theme of dreamlike objects, people, landscapes, or all three." she said catching a glimpse of Scarlet ,in the front row, glaring back at Alice.

"This should be interesting."

Alice turned to finally greet Morpheus without his sunglasses. "What the..." Alice backed into a few stacked canvases "One green and one blue!" her mind raced the dream she so hated trying to pry its way into her alert mind.

"Is there something wrong?" Morpheus tried walking towards Alice.

"N..No! I...I'm fine. I'll go get you your stuff." she spoke quickly walking past the bustling students and out into the storage area. The cold air was like a slap in the face to Alice who needed it. "It's not real. It's a simple coincidence and he isn't Lysander." taking in deep breaths, Alice gathered everything Morpheus needed in the class. 

"Don't freak out like that Alice!" she scolded herself "If anyone should be freaking out it should be him! You were being so rude to him that he should be the one freaking out!" Alice finished scolding herself and stepped out of the room and back into the classroom where Morpheus was now being entertained by Scarlet. Alice frowned and placed the objects she held on the small table next to him, giving him a list of the requirements of the current project. She was glad his back was towards her that she quickly took her spot next to him, not even sparing him a glance when she heard the giggles and laughs Scarlet was making.

"Time to get to work students!" Mr. Baek announced as the final bell rang.

Alice popped her earphones into her ears and the soothing classics from Beethoven to Mozart began playing. It was how she managed to concentrate only on her art and not on her problems that managed to plague her life every day. Hours seem to pass for Alice when she finally finished sketching o n her canvas. The simple outline of what would become a lavish landscape of trees, mushrooms, and roses was light and smooth. She noticed her flowers had faces and the mushrooms were oddly shaped unlike any she had seen before not to mention she had drawn what seems to be a tea party hidden behind roses and mushrooms. 

"I don't remember drawing that." she frowned taking off her earphones, her fingers tracing the outline of the teacups and cakes on the table.

"That is such a beautiful sketch."

"Huh?" she turned to see Morpheus looking at his own canvas which was already being painted on.

"You are extremely talented. And that," he pointed to the landscape without even glancing at her "Is beautiful, it seems so realistic I almost wish I could just step into a world like that. It feels like home."

"Oh... Thank you." she smiled. "Your painting is quite beautiful also." getting up from her seat she stood behind him noticing that the sketch was that of a woman with dark brown hair wearing what seemed to be a red royal looking gown with hearts. Roses adorned the hem of the gown and she wearing a red ruby crown, holding a scepter with a red heart at the end. The painting wasn't finished but Alice noticed that the woman's stance was fierce and royal like but she cold sense there was much more to her than the eye let on. 

"She has her back turned." Alice noted "She seems like someone important though."

Morpheus nodded, a coldness seemed to envelope his voice when he spoke. "Such a keen eye you have Alice."

"You're a good artist, Morpheus." she managed to say, not liking the tone of voice he was using.

"She was to be an important person.." he paused and his expression went from love to pain in an instant and then he simply smiled at his creation as his eyes looked on in sadness. "She didn't even recognize her childhood friend when she saw him..." he whispered to himself. Forgetting for a moment that Alice was standing behind him.

"What is that place called?" he looked at her sketch now. His eyes still held a hint of that sadness she saw when he looked at his sketch.

"I don't really remember. What I do remember is, when I was a child, that I would pretend that I was in a magical place where the flowers talked and there were different kinds of odd creatures and plants. It was more like dreams really." she shrugged. Before he could ask any other questions, she looked at the clock and spoke. "it meets the criteria Mr. Baek set for us so it'll give me an A. Come on, let's clean up before the bell rings."

Morpheus nodded and mimicked Alice as she cleaned up her area. "What if that place was real?" he asked watching Alice for any type of reaction.

"Well then I would gladly live there. This life I have here isn't something I like and the chance of me ever getting into a good college with this reputation and the fact that I have no money at all is slim." she laughed grabbing her bag from the hook.

"What if I could take you there?" he said

Alice had begun to feel impatient with all these questions he was asking her "And next you're going to tell me you're the Mad Hatter I loved to play with when I was child." she said sarcastically just as the bell rang.

Morpheus laughed "Mad Hatter, eh?"

Alice just shrugged. "And the March Hare. They were brothers though... well so my dreams make it to be."

Morpheus cocked his head to the side "How amusing.."

Alice just shook her head before grabbing her bag, leaning up against the wall. "I was being taught to be a queen too. Lysander was my teacher in politics and March was my tutor in how Wonderland works and Knave taught me about Wonderlands creatures." she paused and looked at him. "Kind of sounds like the book Lewis Carroll wrote."

Morpheus followed her lead and leaned up against the wall next to her " Lewis Carroll only wrote what he knew. He didn't know everything."

Alice frowned "It isn't real. How could he not know everything about what he created?"

"Maybe because he wasn't the one who created it. He may have written it down on paper but he surely was not the one to create it." Morpheus sighed.

Alice had begun to feel strange but before she could even speak her mind the metallic shrill of the bell cut her thoughts and the urge to get to the next class overtook her. "Let's go." her arms crossed as she stepped out of the classroom. "Now we have lit next so we are actually reading Alice's Adventures in Wonderland." she said ironically. "I'm guessing, and this is just a guess now, that you have read Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. I may be related "

A chuckle escaped his lips as he looked down at her sarcastic grin "Of course I have."

"Hey, Alice!"

Alice turned to see Stark Knight , Scarlet's boyfriend, coming towards them. They had arrived at their next class and were about to go in.

"Did you do the homework? I had a late football practice last night and Scarlet isn't really that smart with this kind of stuff but I know you are so.." he trailed off, his chocolate eyes were eager he knew that Alice liked him and that, with just asking politely, he could get what he wanted from her.

Alice sighed, entering the room and taking her usual seat in the back. "Ms. Dee isn't here yet so just write what I tell you, okay?"

Stark nodded eagerly taking out a piece of paper and pencil.

Alice reworded her answers and gave them to Stark. Not noticing Morpheus who had sat on the seat to her right.

"Thanks, Alice." Stark winked at her and sat back into his chair, reading over the answers she had just given him.

Alice blushed and looked down at her lap.

"Good morning class." Ms. Dee, a round plump woman with curly red hair and a slight pug face, entered the classroom. Sweeping the classroom with her beady eyes she noticed Morpheus. "You must be the new foreign exchange student." she said aloud for the whole class to hear. "Come up and introduce yourself to the class." she commanded rather than asked.

Morpheus stood, his black jeans and shirt accented his body this made all the girls in the classroom giggle. "My name is Morpheus L. Hatta. I moved from here when I was four and from then on I spent the next years in England."

"Do you know anyone here, Morpheus?" Ms. Dee asked

Morpheus glanced over the classroom as his eyes landed on the brunette in the back with her eyes cast down. "I know Alice. She's the only person I care to even know."

The whole class was giggling and whispering amongst each other.

"Well, thank you Morpheus." Ms. Dee cleared her throat "Now everyone please take out the Alice's Adventures in Wonderland homework and turn it in. Alice, please share your copy of the book with Morpheus. We don't have any available for him at the moment and I don't wish for him to fall behind. You can catch him up with what we are doing." she said, giving her no choice but to accept.

"Ohh look Alice and Morpheus!" Rose and Lizzie giggled in the front of the classroom.

"Those are your sisters, Rose and Lizzie, right?" Morpheus asked sitting next to Alice.

She nodded "I already have the book memorized. You can have the book to yourself." she said placing it on his desk.

"Hey, Alice."

Alice turned to Stark "Hm?"

"Can you explain this to me? Like I don't get how a raven is like a writing desk." Stark scooted his chair over to her desk and placed his copy of the book over her finished assignments.

"Oh well.." she paused to think about it.

"Yes, how is a raven like a writing desk?" Morpheus had moved his chair and now the two men were far too close to her for comfort.

"Well in reality the riddle was never meant to have an answer at all. Although Charles Dodgson himself said that it was because "it can produce a few notes, though they are very flat; and it is never put with the wrong end in front!" Of course, as I said before, the riddle was created to have no answer at all." she smiled, satisfied with her answer.

"Indeed that is correct, Alice." Morpheus smirked at the brilliant answer she gave them. "Such a wonderful explanation, couldn't have said it better myself." he paused and looked over at Stark "Now did you understand it?"

Stark nodded "Yeah! The riddle has no answer! Thanks Alice." Stark gave Alice a friendly nudge and went back to his seat.

"The boy didn't even understand what you said." Morpheus pointed out when Stark moved away.

"Well he isn't into this book like I am." she shrugged, not liking the way Morpheus was talking about him.

"You like him."

Alice frowned "It's none of your business. Now read the rest of the chapter since there'll be a quiz tomorrow."

"I don't need to read the book when I have it all in my head." he said

Before Alice could answer back Mrs. Dee's sister, Mrs. Dum, had entered the room. Now both Dee and Dum were identical twins which made it extremely difficult for Alice to even tell them apart.

"Alice Liddel!" the twin teachers spoke in unison.

Alice shot up in her seat, her bag falling off the back of the chair. "Yes?"

"Mrs. Blue would like to see you in the office. Take your things and Scarlet will take your seat for the rest of the class period." Mrs. Dee spoke.

"Okay." was all Alice could say as she gathered her things. "Well I guess I'll see you later Morpheus." she gave him a small smile.

"Hurry Miss Liddel!" Mrs. Dum said.

Alice took that as cue to leave and made her way to the main office without looking back.

"Hello Alice. " the front office secretary, Mrs. Blue, greeted the brunette.

"Hey Mrs. Blue. You called me out of class?" Alice leaned on the counter.

Mrs. Blue smiled "Yes. A box arrived for you this morning... Did you order something online or is is it something for your mother?"

Alice looked at the box Mrs. Blue had set on the counter between them. The box wasn't large or wide but it was big enough for Alice to have some trouble carrying it. "Oh! It must be the books I ordered for the summer." she lied slipping the box into her arms. It was heavier than she expected but she could handle it. "Immersing yourself in words is a great pastime." she gave Mrs. Blue a sincere smile.

"Alright Alice." the elder woman laughed "You always have your nose in a book. Now go on Alice." she made shooing motions. "Have a pleasant day."

"You too Mrs. Blue!" Alice called out as she hurried out the office door. Once she was far from the office building Alice looked at the clock on a nearby wall. "I still have some time.." shifting the box's position in her arms Alice began walking towards her garden. "I wonder who sent me this..." that simple thought put her on edge. "Father was the only one who ever bought me anything without having to to do it... but he's gone." she frowned as she arrived into her small wonderland. 

"Let's figure out what is inside Miss Alice." she placed the box next to the massive stone. "It reads..." she knelt next to the box. "To Miss Alice Liddell. Oh..." she paused as her fingers trailed over each and every word on the label. "No return address or anything. Huh?" she noticed a strange symbol right next to where her name was printed on." Is that a butterfly?" Reaching up to her hair, Alice took off one of her Moth pins and ran the sharp edge along the tape keeping the brown box closed. 

"There!" she grinned in triumph, placing the pin back where it belonged and opening the box. To her surprise a red ruby crown with a silver setting lay inside a top a red velvet pillow. A red envelope with a butterfly stamped on the outside lay atop of it all. "What the hell..." she reached in and pulled out the envelope. It looked fancy with a silver butterfly right in the middle, the back was closed with a seal of wax that seemed royal like. 

Using her finger she carefully opened the envelope, taking out the folded crimson paper inside and opening it. "AHHH!" Alice threw the paper away from her as a large red and silver winged butterfly emerged from inside. She stepped away from the box and the letter. The more she stepped away the more the butterfly advanced. It was larger than a normal sized butterfly and its wings seemed to sparkle in the sunlight. 

The sudden low ring of the bell scared the insect into flying away into the trees behind her garden. Alice waited a few minutes until she approached the box again, not wanting to be confronted by the insect one more time. "Butterflies shouldn't be that big." she took the letter and opened it. "The dream is the key" Alice began reading. The words were written in the most beautiful hand written calligraphy she had ever seen and the words were all written with a type of silver ink that shimmered as she read on. "to unlocking a world beyond another."

Her brows furrowed as she kept reading the line over and over until she had it etched into her mind. "Dream is the key? Unlocking a world? Lizzie and Rose must be trying to play a prank on me." she laughed, holding on to that excuse as there was no other for her to latch on to. "Well" the silver crown now in her hands "even a fake can be pretty." her fingers traced the outline of the jewels. "So pretty..." The sudden ring of her cellphone made Alice jump in surprise. "Ah!" she snatched her bag from the ground and took the phone from inside. 

"Unknown number." she bit her lip and swiped the little green phone icon.

"Alice!" the immediately recognizable voice of her sister Lizzie blared from the phone.

"What do you want Lizzie?"

"Mom wanted me to let you know that she'd picking us up in a few minutes to go to Auntie Annette's house for the weekend and Monday."

Alice bit her lip with more force than necessary to keep from snapping at her "Okay.." she managed to reply.

"So you're going to stay home since you're not invited. So see ya until Tuesday..Oh! And mom wanted me to let you know to not touch any of the food in the fridge or anything else for that matter. See ya leech!" the call ended.

Alice placed the phone back into her bag and reached out for the crown, placing it on her head. She was always left out of family gatherings and trips. It became a habit of hers not to care anymore since no one ever missed her. "If only I was a queen." she giggled at the thought. "I would have people who would love me for me and I would never be left alone. A queen is loved by thousands..." she took the crown off "and feared by millions." a yawn escaped her lips.

"What time is it.." she looked at her phone. "11:56. Time for lunch I guess." taking off her jacket she wrapped the crown and the letter inside making sure they would be safe inside her bag until it was time to go home. Alice made sure the box they arrived in was hidden out of sight as she planned on coming back to retrieve it since she wanted to figure out where exactly it came from. She wasn't about to let Lizzie nor Rose make a fool out of her.

A herd of students pushed passed the large double doors of the cafeteria building in an attempt to get inside the, what Alice calls it, food dispenser.

"Get out of the way weirdo." a snarky freshman pushed Alice into the building, making her run into someone.

"Sorry." she mumbled, touching her bag.

"You can't keep allowing people to push you Alice."

Looking up her eyes met with a reflection of her own. "I thought I told you about the sunglasses." she frowned and pushed herself away from Morpheus who had placed a hand on her hip and another on her shoulder to prevent her from falling.

"I'm not in the classroom Miss Alice." he smirked watching the brunette as a rosy blush crept up her pale cheeks.

"Whatever." she mumbled, not wanting to agree with him.

"Come on Morpheus. I'm sure Alice wants to have lunch on her own like she always does." Scarlet came in and took him by the hand.

Alice noticed Stark from the corner of her eye as he had begun approaching them but immediately stepped back when he saw Scarlet take Morpheus's hand. "Um yeah." she mumbled and walked away from them. Not noticing the way Morpheus looked towards her direction as she walked to the back of the cafeteria and took her usual seat at an empty round wooden table with two matching chairs.

Alice had a bad habit of not eating at lunch since she didn't really have any money to buy anything and she wasn't allowed to bring any food from home. She made do with what she ate for breakfast or at times she would collect cans and trade them in for cash but she hadn't had the chance to. After awhile her stomach began making noises announcing her defeat. "I guess the tarts weren't enough... "

"Mind if I join you?"

Alice looked up to see Stark with a tray full of food looking down at her.

"Uhh.." she paused and looked around her. "Maybe it's a prank." she thought to herself.

"Don't worry. Scarlet is too entertained to even care where I went off too." he sat down on the seat across from her.

Alice watched on silently as he made himself comfortable. "You can sit with your football friends... don't bring any trouble..." she reached for her earbuds and plugged them into her phone.

"Hey!" Stark placed a hand over hers once she began looking for a song. He pulled his hand away when she flinched at his touch. "Well.." looking down at his tray of food and taking a fry. " Come on, Alice. Eat some food. " He pushed his tray to her once he had eaten the fry. "I vow that this isn't a prank." he watched as she placed her ear buds and phone on the table and took a fry between two fingers. "So... what do you think about the new kid?" he nodded his head towards the large rectangular table where the popular students sat.

She followed his eyes. Morpheus was picking at the food on his tray as Scarlet held onto his arm. He seemed annoyed and he was leaning away from her. "He seemed nice enough to me. I mean he was a bit weird at first but other than that he looks like a normal guy. I dunno." she shrugged and bit into another fry. "I just met him today so that's pretty much it." the hunger she had felt was beginning to subside. "Why aren't you with Scarlet? Aren't you afraid that your precious reputation will be screwed with if you sit here?" she took the small carton of juice and poked the straw into it, taking a sip.

He laughed "You know how Scarlet is, Alice. She sees a new toy and uses it up in a week."

She thought over what he just said. "So why do you put up with it?"

Her question caught him off guard. "Well..." he looked into her green eyes, he noticed how fair her skin was compared to the dark brown of her hair. Looking down at his hands before him he responded "I honestly don't know.. my parents seem to like her and so does everyone else."

"But do you like her?" she finally asked.

The question took him by surprise. He looked into her calm eyes and thought. He didn't really know how to begin to answer the question. He felt feelings for her but he knew those feelings were the feelings a friend would have for another friend. "I feel as though..."

"Am I interrupting something?"

Alice jumped a the sound of Morpheus's voice. "Geez! Don't pop up on people like that!"

Stark had jumped as well and moved closer to Alice as he did. "Didn't you have a lunch date with Scarlet?" he narrowed his eyes at the intruder. He felt uncomfortable with he way he looked at Alice. He knew he saw something within those eyes of his and that put him on edge.

Morpheus smiled and ignored Stark. "Alice, will you be accompanying me to class?" he asked.

"Ehh well I'm going home after lunch... I need to get started on some essays for English class. I'm sure Scarlet or Stark can show you around. Its not that big of a school. "

"I rather not have the brat do it." he looked at Stark. "He uses your feelings for him against you, Alice. You should be able to see past his little wall of lies."

Alice had had enough and stood. Her palms hitting the table with a harsh slap. "I don't need you telling me what to do! Both of you should just stay out of my way!" those words had both men staring at her in shock. She took that as cue to leave and burst through the cafeteria doors. "I don't even know that creep." she frowned. It took her a few minutes to get to the garden. "I don't need Stark using me either." her hands brought up the box in which the crown had arrived in and looked at her neatly written name on the label. No tracking number or anything else. "How exactly am I to prove Lizzie and Rose sent this to me?"

"That's because they didn't."

Alice jumped in surprise, almost dropping the box. Her eyes scanned the are around her but found no one. "Where are you!" she called out to the owner of the voice.

"Well right here, silly. For a queen you are quite blind." a tickling laughter filled Alice's ears.

"What the?" she was confused and more than a little mad. "Stop playing games with me!"

"I am not playing any games Alice. You are the one who is not looking close enough." the voice sounded lazy now. "Come on. Look up. Up. Alice..."

Alice looked up and noticed the large red and silver colored butterfly from before. "Come on Lizzie! Rose! Stop messing with me!"

"Oh Alice... those to retched beings have nothing to do with me."

Alice noticed the butterfly's wings flutter as the voice spoke and stopped as the voice did. "No way.."

"Indeed there is a way." the voice laughed. "Alice indeed your father raised you but your mind is not as open as it was when you were a child." the voice mused. "You received the crown and yet you recall nothing. Have you placed it on? That may be why you cannot remember."

Alice was now more than confused and she had begun taking steps away from the large butterfly while it was speaking. "I must be going mad..."

"Oh Alice but we, Wonderlands children, are as mad as can be. You are the most mad of us all, my dear red queen."

Alice had had it with the craziness. Turning her back on the butterfly she ran away, she was running out of breath but didn't stop until she reached the alleyway behind the homes in front of the school. "What the heck just happened?" her mind was racing. "T..the butt..erfly cou...ld speak!" her words came out slowly.

"Butterfly eh? So the adviser is here... that means that keeping you in the human world no longer benefits us."

She watched as Morpheus walked up to her. Only stopping a few steps from her. His cocky smile and attitude no longer there. "What are you talking about?"

"The crown? Where is it Alice? Just hand it over to me and all this will go away. You can go back to letting the snobs have complete control over you and I can leave this world with the crown." he was mocking her.

"What's it to you bug brains? You won't be taking anything from me. What is so important about a stupid plastic crown. I must be dreaming.. yeah that's it. My dream must have finally changed." reaching into her bag she pulled out the sweater wrapped crown. "I guess reading too much about Wonderland can drive a person mad... my father always said that madness is a gift. We should cherish what others cannot understand. I'm guessing this is where his wise words come into play. Now..." Alice knew she must have been dreaming since none of this made sense. Why would Stark finally pay attention to her? And how in the world can a butterfly that big be able to speak? 

"Maybe if putting on the subject in which the dream is based on then I can escape it! Like in the other one.. jumping into the darkness immediately makes me wake up." her thoughts were running now. These ideas were making her feel more confident and more in control. "I won't give it to you! It's mine and no one can take it! It's my only escape out of this dream." without even thinking of the consequences, she ripped off the sweater around the crown and placed it on her head. For a minute nothing happened, Alice was beginning to think this was not a dream.

"Take it off Alice! You aren't meant to be ruler of Wonderland anymore! The royal bloodline of the Heart Kingdom that began with the original Alice Liddel ends with you. The last Liddell woman alive. I'll make sure of that." Morpheus hissed "The crown would have reacted by it simply being near you but I see the crown no longer is under the command of your blood line. You cannot return to Wonderland."

"I've never even been to Wonderland." she responded

"This is where you both are wrong."

Alice watched as the large butterfly she was speaking to before became a silver skinned, red and silver eyed, red haired woman with pointy ears. She looked more like an elf than a human. Her wings where a human sized version of her butterfly ones. She was wearing a flowing red skirt that swirled out all around her and a silver bodice that complimented the curve of her hips. She approached Alice and stopped once she was a few inches closer to her.

"My queen." she bowed at the waist. "The crown has reacted, Lysander, you should know that. Can't you feel Her call? Wonderland wants its true Queen. You can't simply place Opal at the throne, she will destroy our home and set the Looking Glass creatures free. You must understand we kept Alice away from Wonderland, from you, to bring her back someday and that day is today." her elfin features were filled with anger.

"Don't you try and make up excuses for her, Thaleia." Morpheus kept his eyes trained on the venomous she-bug.

"Your beloved Opal killed Vitalia and Vita. She killed my sisters because they were royal advisers to our beloved Rosalia, the last Queen of Hearts. There is no excuse other than she was to be protected from the clutches of those three wasps. You love Alice. Admit it Hatter."

Alice watched the two battle it out with words. She hadn't spoken a word about the black hole that formed on the ground beside her. "Follow your instincts Allie, if nothing seems right you follow what you believe in and that can lead you to your right path." the fading voice of her father spoke.

"Follow my instincts..."Alice looked down the dark hole. "I can't believe I'm going to do this!" she scolded herself in her thoughts, as it was always a habit of hers "Follow your instincts Alice!" she whispered to herself. "Alright.." she began taking in deep breaths.. "No going back now Alice Liddell. Here goes nothing!" she yelled as she jumped into the rabbit hole, leaving the woman named Thaleia and Morpheus behind.


End file.
